As an amateur, he won the Berkshire Trophy twice before turning professional after playing in the Walker Cup at the end of 1993.

Phillips made steady progress, finishing inside the top 100 on the Order of Merit in each of his first four seasons on the European Tour.

He captured his maiden win in 1999, at the Algarve Portuguese Open, where he overcame John Bickerton in a playoff.

[3] Early in his professional career Phillips regularly played in a shirt and tie as part of a sponsorship deal.

[4] European Tour playoff record (1–0) European Senior Tour playoff record (1–0) CUT = missed the half-way cut Note: Phillips only played in The Open Championship.